Have you heard this one?

“I told a joke to the compost bin

Which piece of compost do you think was most interested?

The egg shells!  Because they were cracking up!”

That’s an Elizabeth original.

She is so funny.  Takes after her Dada.  Loves to work a room.

Unfortunately, she also inherited my ability to hang on to crap that bugs her.  And she inherited by obsession with making sense of the world.  Tonight I was working with her on the challenge that every big sister in the history of big sisters has dealt with – why does her little sister bother her so much and how was I going to stop it?  Instead of telling her how I was going to stop it (that would be impossible), I told her how to deal with it on her own.

• Step 1) Explain to her that nobody can bother her; only she can decide to be bothered.
• Step 2) Tell her that it is very frustrating to me that she lets her sister bother her
• Step 3) Advise her to choose not to be bothered and frustrated.
• Step 4) Feel self-satisfied; knowing what a wise father I am
• Step 5) Elizabeth’s response: So, Dada.  Why do you choose to be frustrated if all you have to do is choose not to be frustrated (damn you, Step 2!!)…

And with that, she showed me once again that she is wise and observant and, well, she will call me on my B.S.  Like someone else I know.  No wonder they have a special bond.

So anyway, I told her she is right. That it is extremely difficult sometimes to choose to see the beauty in life and enjoy the beautiful weather and good times with family.  Instead of choosing to be frustrated and bothered.

It’s so difficult that even grownups have trouble getting it right sometimes.  Maybe it’s even harder for grownups.